St. John’s city council has been told Craig and Lisa Dobbin want to build a new home in the Signal Hill-Battery area, but first need to acquire some pieces of Crown land and city council’s approval.
The home would be built just down from Murphy’s Row off Signal Hill Road and a stone’s throw from Memorial University of Newfoundland’s facility, formerly the Battery hotel.
It would replace several existing properties in the area —180, 182 and 184 Signal Hill Rd. The Dobbins also hold 178, where an existing house will be maintained. The Crown land they’re seeking are pieces between the various properties.
The home as designed would be over 4,000 square feet in total, in two storeys, and make use of glass, red wood siding and subdued colours outside. It was designed with the area in mind, the architect responsible told to St. John’s city council at a Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday morning.
According to a development application and land use assessment report provided to the city from Philip Pratt Architects, the plan tries to protect existing area views and privacy. The plan has already been modified in response to concerns raised by owners of an adjoining property, the report states.
Coun. Hope Jamieson asked about consideration for heritage and the area esthetic.
Coun. Maggie Burton asked about associated paving, while other councillors also asked about details of the project.
“I think this house is equally as appropriate as other houses,” architect Philip Pratt responded, explaining the idea is to not overshadow or take away from the iconic hillside.
As for heritage, that’s a trickier description.
“Up in that area there’s only one traditional Battery building. … In fact, most of the structures are rather contemporary,” Pratt said.
“I actually think the design’s quite beautiful,” said Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary, before adding a “but.”
She wanted to know what guarantee there would be that the finished building would actually look like the design put forward. Essentially, how much control over things like the materials used and even colour of the home did the city have once the construction was given the green light.
While Pratt said the Dobbins were interested in the home as designed, he added that changes have been made to his proposals in the past, suggesting it would be up to the city to enforce.
That point was moved for further discussion to a private session of the committee, to follow the public meeting.
The request to the city to approve a Crown land grant referral and approve the construction will go to a future meeting of city council.
